Now 31 years old, Josh van der Flier was asked this week about luck. He recalled his dad Dirk pointing to a terrifying article he had read which stated the average rugby career is “something like 60 games”.
Luck? His luck has held but as the Leinster openside flanker faces into a new season, he understands its capricious nature and how it has affected other players around him.
“So, I’m very grateful to be beyond that,” he says. “And I often think of Dan Leavy who was a similar age to me but had to give this up because of injury. It’s part of the sport and I’m just very blessed that I’m still going. Hopefully I can be like Cian Healy.”
Healy played his 281st game for Leinster last weekend, breaking Devin Toner’s record in the process. An outlier, the Irish prop also has 131 Irish caps, just two behind former centre and Irish captain, Brian O’Driscoll.
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“I distinctly remember my first time in Ireland camp in 2016,” says van der Flier. “I was rooming with Rob Kearney ahead of my first cap. And I remember him telling me to make sure I enjoy every moment, take it all in, because it goes by so quickly.
“He was younger than I am now. But to me he seemed so old! And he said it goes very quickly. And I can’t believe how quickly it has gone so far. But I feel great.”
Kearney’s message has stayed with him and van der Flier is now at the stage of his career where he no longer sees time as an endless resource. The desire to win with Leinster is sharper, each season a step further into twilight years. Some self-reflection also comes with walking through the age gate from the 20s into the 30s.
“When you’re younger, it feels like you have 30 more years to play,” he says. “When you’re 20 in the old Pro14 and you don’t win it, you think, ah well I’ll have another 20 goes at it or whatever. Whereas now, it’s getting to the stage where hopefully I’ll have a few more, but you are making the most of it. And what comes with that is making an effort to enjoy it. I’ve always tried to do that but particularly now.”
On the bench for the Champions Cup final last season, Van der Flier started both Tests against South Africa on the summer tour and after 63 caps he is still learning that greater perspective does not always counterbalance frustration.
“Jacques [Nienaber] talks to us about mindset and stuff in meetings and one thing he said, which I found really helpful ... there is no point pretending ... like if someone gets dropped, say I’m told I’m not playing this week, he says you’re allowed to be annoyed, you’re allowed to be frustrated, angry at the coaches.”
No anger now, just “hungry and excited” as a backrow looking towards a warm day in Italy and Benetton this weekend.
